Ecstatic Olympiakos players hail team spirit for first major European title
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Olympiacos' Kostas Fortounis lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Europa Conference League.
PHOTO: REUTERS
ATHENS – Olympiakos players hailed their team’s unity after edging past Fiorentina 1-0 in extra time on May 29 to win the Europa Conference League and become the first Greek team to claim a major European club title.
In a game that was high on intensity and physicality but low on quality in front of goal, neither side could score in 90 minutes before Ayoub El Kaabi got the winner in the 116th minute.
“I have no words,” said winger Giorgos Masouras as other teammates cried and celebrated with their fans.
“It has not yet sunk in. We did it together. I was certain we would win it and we held on and got it in the end. We are now part of Europe’s elite and have more responsibilities. We have to maintain this level now.”
Olympiakos, who finished third in the league, became the first Greek club to lift a major European trophy. Panathinaikos came closest previously, when they lost the 1971 European Cup final to Ajax Amsterdam.
Celebrations broke out across Athens and the port city of Piraeus, with thousands of supporters lighting flares and fireworks.
“I am very happy and satisfied and it is an honour to have made the fans happy,” said Olympiakos coach Jose Luis Mendilibar, who took over in February.
“I am very happy that we achieved something that the club had not achieved before. We will celebrate, we will cheer and then we will get back to work for what comes next.”
The result was a second consecutive defeat in the Europa Conference League final for Fiorentina, who reached the showdown with Olympiakos without losing a single game.
Last season, the Italian outfit lost 2-1 to English Premier League side West Ham United, and coach Vincenzo Italiano said this defeat had inflicted deeper pain than the 2023 loss.
“It hurts,” he told Sky Sports Italia. “It’s disappointing for the second time. It’s disappointing because again we had many situations to score goals and the players did everything they could.
“It hurts to see my players cry. We really believed this time we could have a different epilogue to this campaign.”
Fiorentina’s finals have been plagued by disappointment, with three losses in two years, including the 2023 Italian Cup final defeat by Inter Milan.
“Going all the way for two years running is something good but naturally you have to lift a trophy and we didn’t manage it,” Italiano added. “The journey feels ruined when you have to watch the others lift the silverware.
“I really believed we could have a different ending.” REUTERS
